Detail from We Have Come So Far fable drawing explorations (Atlas of Matters 2024). Image courtesy of RMIT Design Hub
Detail from We Have Come So Far fable drawing explorations (Atlas of Matters 2024), image courtesy of RMIT Design Hub

We Have Come so Far Past Event

Presented by Atlas of Matters

Dates

Thu 30 May 10:00am - 5:00pm
Fri 31 May 10:00am - 5:00pm

Tickets

Free, No Booking Required

Venue

RMIT Design Hub (Building 100), Level 3 Foyer
Building 100 (Design Hub) - RMIT University, 150 Victoria St, Carlton VIC 3000, Australia

Access

Accessible bathroom, Seating available, Wheelchair accessible

We Have Come So Far exhibits six drawn fables to rethink our relationship with material extraction and consumption.

A series of large-format drawings illustrates six fables, each a commentary on one aspect of Victoria’s whaling history and culture. Human use of whales and whale products plays a key role in global mobility, trade networks, and technological developments. At times, whale products are ubiquitous in domestic use, with whale oil and bone used in lighting, soap, lubricants, and varnishes, among other things. These days, the sacrifice and the horrors of whaling in terms of whale population and the changing of ocean ecologies are easily comprehended with our modern relationship with the whale being one of awe, wonder, and care. However, other extractive material practices still occur, in both ocean and terrestrial environments. The same method of ruthless extraction of materials for human use still proliferates in places throughout Victoria, Australia, and globally. The ambition of this work is to highlight past and current ignorance regarding the finite and entangled nature of what we often consider ‘material resources.’ The fables aim to provoke designers, makers, and users to think about the beings, places, and ecosystems impacted through their material use, particularly in relation to materials which may seem infinitely abundant, as the whale did to early settlers.

Participants

Caitlyn Parry

Caitlyn Parry is a lecturer in architecture in the RMIT School of Architecture and Urban Design. They are currently doing a PhD exploring drawing techniques and digital tools for embedding meaning and story into materials, enabling material reuse in the design process and the role of formal delight in contemporary material relations.

Dr Alice Lewis

Alice Lewis is lecturer of landscape architecture at RMIT University. Her research investigates how prosthetic extensions and the human actions it affords shape environments and material relationships, and how traditional and new technologies can augment human capabilities to become caregivers for more-than-human worlds. Recent research collaborations include working with the Material Matters Research Lab (Emily Carr University, Canada), and the ‘One by Walking’ Research Network (funded by The Nordic Research Council).


You Might Like